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each person in the eye.
She felt a stirring of pride as she watched the shock enter their faces at the authority in her tone.
For being a door-mouse for too many years, she was sure making up for lost time. She had to fight
back the smile wanting to break free at the surge of adrenaline rushing through her.
Barbie Doll number two was the first to break eye contact as she took a step back, then whispered
something to one of the guys, who then turned slightly toward her so they could have a quiet
discussion.
Could you tell us what this is about? the guy asked when they were finished.
It s none of your business, but I will tell you this. Mr. Whitfield doesn t like to be kept waiting.
Sierra really hoped Damien didn t tell them to throw her out on her butt, making her look like a
complete fool. If he did, she was done, fear of her father, or no fear. She was tired of being
humiliated. It had to stop at some point.
Fine, I ll go speak to Mr. Whitfield personally, and tell him he has a& guest out front. Please go
sit over there, Barbie number one finally said before pointing at benches off in the corner, out of
view of the front doors.
Sierra fought back a smile as she turned and walked to the benches. So this is what it feels like to
win a small victory, she thought. They obviously couldn t have someone looking so raggedy out in the
public view. What would their rich clients think about that?
Sierra took a seat and picked up one of the magazines lying on the table. She started flipping
through pages, glancing at the latest fashions. She d never really cared, not even being allowed to
pick out the majority of her clothes. Her father had felt he was far more qualified to choose for her.
Sierra hadn t really thought to argue with him about it until later in life, then she d been too afraid.
Her sister had never had the same issues with their dad. He d spoiled Sandy, giving her whatever she
wanted.
She d been one of the girls going to the spas with girlfriends, and getting new clothes practically
every month. She d been daddy s little girl, while Sierra had been daddy s whipping post. The more
she thought about it, the angrier she became.
How dare he do that to her! With growing confidence and rage, a shiver of alarm still traveled
down her spine. What if she was sent back to him? What if her dad somehow was able to hide her
away? She couldn t let that happen. She wouldn t. She d rather die.
She remembered the day he told her why he wouldn t let her leave, why she had to pay him back
for her mother s sins. It had been a dark and terrible day.
Apparently, her mother had been extremely unhappy during their marriage, telling Douglas she was
going to leave him. She found out a few weeks later she was pregnant. Instead of being elated at her
pregnancy, he d been jealous, claiming she must ve had an affair. They fought about her, her mother
swearing she d been faithful, and Douglas insisting she d cheated.
It hadn t helped that Sierra looked like her mother, while a few years later Sandy had been almost
a twin of their father. It seemed Sandy s birth confirmed his suspicions that Sierra wasn t his. He d
been humiliated; not wanting anyone to know his wife would dare cheat on him.
Her father had felt it almost a duty to sleep with as many women as possible, throwing it in their
mother s face. He d told her she could leave, but he d never allow her to take the girls with her.
She d vowed to the end that Sierra was his child, but Sierra figured death had been a welcome relief
out of the hell her mother s life had become.
With how much her father hated her, Sierra figured he d be happy to have her leave, but instead of
pushing her out, it had become his life s obsession to make her pay for what he deemed as her
mother s infidelity, so instead of kicking her out of his home, he d refused to let her leave - refused
until Damien Whitfield had shown up.
Now that Sierra had a glimpse of freedom, there was no going back. She refused to allow Douglas
Monroe any further power over her. With new resolve, she waited for Damien. It was time to let him
know she wasn t going to take being anyone s whipping post ever again. She refused to allow the man
to try and bring her down with his cold stares, and ridiculous requests.
Sierra heard a movement and turned to find Damien standing before her. Her mouth gaped open in
shock. He was wearing a low slung towel wrapped around his waist, water dripping down his rock
solid chest and six-pack abs. She couldn t even manage to bring her eyes past his incredible athletic
build to see the expression on his face.
She was sure the man was irritated about obviously being interrupted, and she knew she should
meet his gaze, but instead she continued to stare with utter reverence and awe at the work of art
before her.
She heard him clear his throat, and it was just what her brain needed to become un-frozen. Quickly
closing her mouth, she drew her eyes up the additional eight or so inches to meet his eyes. She was
right, he wasn t happy.
Is something wrong? An employee told me you were demanding to see me, refusing to leave,
Damien said as his eyes looked over her. You don t seem unwell, he finished accusingly.
Sierra frantically searched for her voice, coming up with nothing. Damien Whitfield was extremely
attractive on a normal day, but with water dripping off him, and his hair tousled, he was downright
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